Creaky, crowded and extensive, Beijing's bus network is currently undergoing a major overhaul. The city is currently planning to replace some 40 percent of its 17,500 buses with new, fancier and cleaner models. These replacements, which will be completed by you-know-when, are expected to include 5,000 natural gas-powered buses. By 2010, planners vow, Beijingers will never have to walk more than eight minutes to find a bus station downtown.
Most buses numbered between 1 and 100 operate within the Third Ring Road. Buses numbered 200-212 provide only night service. Those in the 300s prowl the suburbs, those in the 400s travel from the center out to the suburbs,while those in the 600s and 700s snake through residential areas. The 800s are heated in the winter and most are air conditioned in the summer. Buses in the 900s are long-distance. The past year welcomed several routes numbered in the 500s to the Beijing streets. Buses run from 5.30am; about half of them stop around 8.30pm and the rest operate until l l pm. Night buses mn from 10pm or 11pm to 5am.
Every bus stop has the number of the bus or buses, each stop on their route, the direction they travel and the times of the first and last buses. Bus routes are available at any newspaper stand in the Chinese language city map (RMB 3-5) or as a mini-booklet (RMB 5). In addition, the following English language website has an excellent map that will display each of Beijing's bus routes (see www.bjbus.com/english/default.htm).
When paying with cash, the flat rate for ordinary buses is a whopping RMB 1, but the rate increases incrementally for long-distance trips. Night and air-conditioned buses empty your wallet at RMB 2-6. Wielding your smartcard yields big discounts - 60 percent off the original ticket price for buses 1-899, and 20 percent off the price of long-distance buses. Student monthly cards get an even more impressive discount - 80 percent off all buses but the 900s